Rethinking the Mozilla Web
UniverseJohn Slater
1.25.10
Rethinking the Mozilla Web Universe
Photo: NASA
John SlaterFeb 11, 2010
2/11/10
today’s topic
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How can we make our websites better? (better for users, better for Mozilla)
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today’s scope
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Focusing the big picture: the way our websites work together, and the way users interact with them on a macro level (not
specific content or design stuff).
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caveat!
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This is a proposal. It’s all very much up for discussion, so let’s discuss.
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the good news
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Mozilla operates a bunch of quality sites that, when viewed as a group, make us one of the biggest Web
companies around.
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the big leagues
• total: ~660 mm page views
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Monthly site stats (9/09):
.
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the bad news
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Our current approach to managing these sites creates a bad user
experience and limits our ability to make the most of the traffic.
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in other words...
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Coming into the Mozilla web universe and trying to get the full
picture of what we do (and how to get involved) can be really confusing.
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and...
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We’re missing an opportunity to tell people about things besides the desktop Firefox (add-ons,
mobile, services, stuff from labs, the mission, etc)
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the goal
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Create a web universe that makes sense for users and gives us a better
platform for telling our story.
(and the good news is that these aren’t mutually exclusive)
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more specifically...
• sites that take advantage of massive traffic to fully support key company goals
• more ways to get users engaged with Mozilla and participate in the community
• data-driven sites that allow us to be more iterative with what we learn from metrics
• a stronger platform for communicating product values & benefits
• a site structure conducive to future growth
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step 1
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Start thinking of our sites as components of a larger whole rather
than a bunch of individual pieces.
more of a mental shift than anything else - will get to the details in a minute
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step 2
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Tell our story effectively by making sure each site has a clear
role and distinct focus.
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step 3
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Start grouping related content together so it’ll be where users
can find it.
Firefox & add-ons, for example; MDN for another example
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step 4
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Connect sites more effectively through cross-linking, UI
elements, visual palette, etc.
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some tactics
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Let’s have a single Mozilla site that can tell the story of why we exist and serve as a central hub for all the other sites to orbit around.
(i.e., continue to refine mozilla.org)
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some tactics
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Let’s create product- or audience-specific sites that will revolve
around that central hub.
(i.e., a single Mozilla-branded site + a bunch of sites named after each product)
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some tactics
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For example, mozilla.com would be renamed to reflect its current
focus on Firefox.
(i.e., firefox.com? mozilla.org/firefox? firefox.mozilla.org?)
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some tactics
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Let’s integrate Firefox add-ons into the Firefox product site to
create a more unified experience.
(lots of ways this could be accomplished)
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some tactics
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Let’s unify our sites with some common elements - like a shared footer - and create a style guide for greater visual consistency.
(while allowing each site to retain its individuality, of course)
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how things might look
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challenges & questions
• would this create an improper balance between Firefox & Mozilla?
• similarly, we’re not a one-product company... would this approach create that impression?
• where do Mozilla Europe, Mozilla Japan and Mozilla China fit in?
• should we be working to unify our sites under a single domain instead of having separate ones?
• what else?
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Appendix
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firefox.com
• would be based around the Firefox-related content on the current mozilla.com site.
• major visual and content overhaul of the Firefox product site...tighter site focus presents new design, content opportunities.
• would allow for greater exposure of priorities like mobile and add-ons.
• would still retain Mozilla branding, but in a more appropriate hierarchy.
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mozilla.org
• as the “One Mozilla” site, it eliminates current confusion between mozilla.com and mozilla.org.
• it would the place to tell the full Mozilla story.
• is a great opportunity to expand the Mozilla brand, promote the mission and drive greater participation.
• would still be coordinated by MoFo, but with greater MoCo involvement.
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add-ons integration
• once firefox.com is redesigned, incorporate Firefox add-ons into the same look & feel.
• could be a subset of key add-ons, or the entire group of them (details tbd).
• an integrated site allows for greater cross-promotion and discovery.
• would still be run by the AMO team, but with greater visual and brand consistency.
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common UX elements
• connect sites more effectively with universal footer and other possible solutions.
• group sites into categories (ex. community, product, developer, labs) and develop loose common design elements to create brand consistency and user clarity.
• publicly share style guides to offer basic design direction, but don’t force this on anyone as a strict requirement.
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back end• use dynamic content to upsell add-ons,
promote new initiatives & drive engagement.
• more sites on the same domain creates a simpler and more accurate data reporting structure.
• will create a more efficient “one stop shop” for internal metrics.
• will give us new insights how users engage with us and our websites.
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possible roadmap
• Q1: find external design resources, begin expanding mozilla.org
• Q2: make switch to firefox.com, begin redesign process, begin testing new designs
• Q3: add common UX elements, launch redesigned firefox.com
• Q4: integrate add-ons into firefox.com, publish style guides
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summary
• the current site structure has become complex and dense, and no longer fits the needs of a rapidly growing Mozilla.
• we need to view our sites holistically, rather than treating them as individual properties.
• a more well-organized site universe increases both visitor and business value.
• if done right, this is a win/win for our products, users, mission and organization.
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